Lasting machine



E. BUTLER :1" AL 2,656,552

LASTING MACHINE Oct. 27, 1953 Filed May 22, 1951 5 Sheeis-Sheet 1 Oct. 27, 1953 E. BUTLER ET AL 2 52 LASTING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1951 v '5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors; Ernest L. Butler Oct. 27, 1953 E, BUTLER ETAL 2,656,552

LASTING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1951 I 5 Sheets-Sheet s Inventors g 21-5 Ernest L. Butler X96 Otis M.H0lme3 By t 27, l"953 E, BUTLER ar AL 2,656,552

' LASTING MACHINE I Filed May 22, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 6 270 27a a Inventors 27K 62/7 Ernest L.Buzl erf: Otis M. Holmes Oct. 27, 1953 E. L. BUTLER ETAL 2,656,552

LASTING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1951 5 She ets-Sheet 5 4 mum M Inventor- Ernest L.'Bu-2Zer- Ozz's' M Holms .5 H2 rrzey l 'atenteci Oct. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,656,552 ILAS'TI'NG MACHINE Eihes't L. Butler", Lynn, and Otis M. Holmes,

Beverly; Mass, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. .L; a corporation of New Jersey Application May" 22, 1951, Serial No. 227,708

invention relates to lasting m aohines, and has more particularly in view the provisionor eerta'inimprovements in a machine disclosed in United States'Letters'Patefit No 2-,4901897, ranted on December 13'; 1949, on an application or E; L. Butler and C. F.- Fitzgerald,- that being a machine for lasting the heel ends of so eaued sewed-seat welt shoes having insoles provided with welt-attaching lips" extending around their heel ends as well as along other portions thereof and against whieh the margins of the heel ends of the uppers are lasted in upstand ihg' position. The invention is accordinglyherein disclosed as embodied in amodificationof the machine shown the above-mentioned Letters- Patent, but it is to be understood that in various novel aspectsit is not limited to this 11 lnstrative embodiment v In general similarity to" the disclosure of the above-mentioned Letters Patent; the machine herein shown is provided with apair of wipers for wiping the marginal portion of the heel end of the upper inwardly over the feather and against the lip of the insole; with aholddow'n arranged to engage the inner face of the lip at the heel end of the insole to position the sheet lengthwise and to support the lip against the inwardly directed pressure of the wipers";- and with means for moving the shoelength wise engagement with its heel-end fade toseatthe portion of the lip at the extreme end of the-insole against the holddown after shoe has been presented with that portion of the lipspaced a substantial distance from the hold? down. To aiford better insurance that rnarginal portionof the heel end of the upper of every shoe will be properly conformed as desired to the ang'lebetween the feather and the lip of the insole, the construction herein shownissuch that the wipers do'nothave predetermined limits of movement both lengthwise widthw'ise of the shoe, but are bodily-j lengthwise of the shoe to a limit determined-by their engagement withthemargin 6f the up er in lasted osition against the lip at the extreme end of the insole and are closed" inwardly width wise of the shoe to perform the lasting opera; tion along the sides of its heel-end portion in response to resistance of the margin of: the u er at the extreme end of the shoe to their bodily advancing movement; More partic'nlar 13*, a cam-operated slide acts through a spring. thus to advance portions of the wipers at the extreme en'dof the shoe lengthwise of the shoe and is positively oonnected bylinks to'the 'wipere positioningmovement.

to close them equal distances width'wi se' ofthe shoe upon yield of the spring. The pressure is thus'- yieldingly applied to the margin of the upper at the extreme end of the insole through the spring which is, however, strong enough: to insure under any conditions the proper shapof the marginal portion of the upper this location. The closing of the wipers on the other handis efie'cted' positively through the links by the cam-operated slide; and to vary asdesired the effect of the wipers on the" upper along the sides of the heel-end portion of the shoe the links are adjustable each independent ly of the other to vary the initial positions of the wipers; with respect to closing: movements'z Still further to insure the best results in lor'aation's near the shank portions of shoes, each of the above' mentioned' wipers carries at its front end a small-- supplemental wiperrectilinearly movable relatively thereto in directions widthwise' of the shoe and pressed inwardly toward the shoe by a spring which is yieldable response to re'-' sistance of the upper to pressure of the" s'liit iple mental wiper thereon. In order to render the supplemental wipers inoperative in operating on shoes of comparatively small sizes, they may be held in retracted positions against the re'sista'nce' of their springs by latches carried by the main Wipers;

Further to improve the quality of: the lasting along the sides of the" heel-end portion of each Slice, the means herein shown for moving the shoe lengthwise to seat th'e'portion of the up at the extreme end" of the insole against the holddown comprises a heel band arranged toembrace the heel-end portion-- of the shoe and novel means forclosingit' inwardly toolamp the upper! against the last at the opposite sides" of the beer endof the shoe as" the band receives its shoe- More partioularly, as herein illustrated, the band is engaged alongthe opposite" sidesof the heel end of the shoe by ehains formed of pivotally oonnectedlinks these' ename being controlleclby arms which are mounted to swing wid'thwise of the shoe aboutaXeseXtend-ing heightwise of thesho'e. Pivotaifly' mount?d betweenits ends 0n the front end or each arm is' a short lever arranged to serene Widthwise 0f the shoe and conneeted' at its iii-' nerend to the front endof thechai-n atthe' same side ofthe shoe, the outer end of the lever be: ing' connected to a-springwhich serves to t'ig'hteh the chain and tends also to swing the armand the chain in outward direction. the band s: moved: in a directionlengthwiseof the shoe to position the shoe as determined by engagement of the holddown with the lip of the insole the two chains and the arms associated therewith move with it. In this operation cam faces formed on the arms are engaged by rolls which cause the arms to swing the chains inwardly toward the shoe and thus to force the band inwardly to clamp the upper against the last along the sides of the heel-end portion of the shoe adjacent to the edge of the insole. If the upper at the sides of the heel end of the shoe is thus clamped firmly against the last prior to the completion of the lengthwise positioning movement of the shoe by the band, the rolls engaging the cam faces on the arms are yieldingly movable in outward directions against the resistance of springs to permit the completion of the lengthwise movement of the shoe.

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a View in right-hand side elevation of the greater portion of the machine in which the invention is herein shown as embodied;

Fig. 2 is a view mainly in right-hand side elevation, on a larger scale, of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view mainly in central vertical section, from front to rear, of the upper portion of the machine;

Fig. 4 is mainly a plan view of the wipers and their operating mechanism, with parts in section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line VV of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an exploded view of a portion of the wipers and their operating mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an electrically heated cover plate positioned over the wipers for heating them;

Fig. 8 is mainly a plan view showing the wipers and their operating mechanism with the wipers positioned at the limits of their inward wiping movements;

Fig. 9 is mainly a plan view showing the heel band and its controlling mechanism with the band in closed position;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line XX of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a section mainly on the line XI-XI of Fig. 3, with parts broken away;

Fig. 12 is an exploded view showing portions of the heel band and its controlling mechanism;

Fig. 13 is a Vertical section lengthwise of the heel end of the shoe showing the wipers at the limits of their wiping movements; and

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the heel end of a shoe after it has been operated upon by the machine.

The machine is provided with a column 2 supported at its lower end on a base casting 4 and having mounted on its upper end a head casting 6. Instead of a shoe support mounted for rearward swinging movement from a forwardly inclined shoe-receiving position to carry the shoe toward the lasting means, as in the machine shown in the previously mentioned Letters Patent, the machine herein shown is provided with shoesupporting means including a carriage 8 mounted for rectilinear forward and rearward movements in horizontal directions. The carriage has mounted on opposite side portions thereof four rolls 10 (Figs. 1 and 11) arranged to run on tracks provided by the upper edges of the opposite side portions of a substantially U -shaped bracket l2 secured to the column 2, the carriage being further guided by engagement near the rolls with inwardly extending flanges 14 on the bracket. Forward movement of the carriage 8 is limited by engagement of a stop face I6 (Fig. 1) formed thereon with a pin I8 movably mounted in the front end of the left-hand side portion of the bracket [2, the pin being outwardly movable against the resistance of a spring 2!! (Fig. 11) by means of a knob 22 fast on its outer end to permit the carriage to be withdrawn from the bracket if desired.

Mounted for upward and downward movements in the carriage 8 is a shoe-supporting rod 24 (Fig. 3) having fast on its lower end a short bar 26 to which is secured a pin 28 movable in a vertical bore in the carriage, the pin thus preventing the rod 24 from turning relatively to the carriage. The upper portion of the rod 24 is reduced in diameter, and supported on a shoulder provided by the upper end of the larger portion of the rod is a collar 39. Supported on this collar is a thimble 32 provided at diametrically opposite sides of the rod 24 with downwardly extending slots 34 in which lie a pair of fingers 36, only one of which is shown, extending downwardly from a cylindrical block 38 loosely mounted on the upper end portion of the rod. Formed on the upper end of this block is a T- shaped projection 43 on which is guided for rectilinear movements widthwise of the shoe another block 42. Supported on this block is a substantially U-shaped holder 44 in which is secured a last pin 48 arranged to extend into the usual spindle hole in the heel end of the last. The lower end faces of the two arms of the U -shaped holder 44 are curved lengthwise of the shoe and rest on similarly curved arcuate guideways 48 on the block 42, the guideways being curved about an axis located approximately on the bottom of the heel end of the shoe. The holder 44 with its last pin 46 is free to swing about this axis to permit the shoe to assume a position in proper relation to the wiping faces of the wipers hereinafter described. The holder 44 is held in place on the block 42 by a screw 50 which is threaded in the block and extends through a curved slot 52 in one side portion of the holder.

Mounted in the block 38 are two springs 54 (Fig. 11) the inner ends of which are seated against the block and the outer ends of which are in engagement with fingers 56 secured to the block 42. These spring normally centralize the block 42 and the holder 44 widthwise of the machine but permit these parts, together with the shoe, to be moved rectilinearly in one direction or the other widthwise of the machine, so that the shoe will adjust itself laterally to the heel band, hereinafter described, as the band is closed about the heel end of the shoe. Secured to the block 38 is a bracket 58 having a downwardly extending substantially U-shaped portion 68 to receive the upper of a high boot when the machine operates on work of that character and also provided with a bar 62 (Figs. 1 and 11) extending forwardly from its U-shaped portion. Mounted on this bar is a holder 64 supporting a toe rest 68 arranged to support the toe end of the shoe underneath, the holder being secured by well-known means in different adjusted positions along the bar 62 and the toe rest also being adjustable in a well-known manner heightwise of the shoe relatively to the holder.

Q OSCJBE The thim-ble 32 is provided not only with the slots 34 toreceive the fingers 36, but also: with other slots 68 extending less far downwardly than the slots 34 for supporting the block 38 and the parts thereon at a somewhat greater height for shoes of smaller sizes. Such adjustment is made for shoes of different sizes by lifting the bracket 58, together with the block 38 and the parts thereon, until the fingers 36' are clear of the slots in which they are mounted and by thereafter turning the thim-ble 32 to aline the other slots in the thimblewith the fingers.

The collar 30 is secured totherod 24 and is initially positioned in engagement with a shoulder 19 on the carriage 8 to support the rod and the parts thereon. After the shoe has been mounted on the shoe support the carriage E is moved rearwardly by the operator to carry the shoe toward the lasting means, and by this movement the bar 26 fast on the lower end of the rod 24 is carried to a positionover a thimble H se cured on the upper end of a rod M. This rod is secured at its lower end to a rack bar 16 which is movable upwardly and downwardly in'a guide way formed in a casting i8 secured to the column 2. The lower end of the rack bar 16 restsi-nitiall-y onthe front end of alever -80 pivotally mounted between its front and rear ends on the casting 18-. By means of a link 82 the rear endof' the lever 80 is connected toa treadle 84 which ispivotally mounted at its rear end onthe base 4 and is depressible against the resistance of a spring 86. After moving the shoe rearwardl-y by rearward movement of the carriage 8 the operator depresses the treadle 84- to impart upward movement to the rack bar 1-6 and the rod- 14', thereby moving the rod 24- also upwardly by the engagement of the thimble T2 with the bar 26. Inthis manner the shoe is movedupwa-rdly to carry the bottom of its heel end into engagement with a holddown 8'! controlled as hereinafter described. Thereafter the opera-tor starts the power operation of the machine by rearward movement of a starting member 88, as inthe-use of the machine shown in the previously mentioned Letters Patent.

Shortly after the starting of the cycle of i operations the machine automatically assumes control of the shoe-supporting rod 2t with respect to vertical movement. For this purpose a slide 90 guided in the head casting 6 is moved in a rearward direction against the resistance of aspring 92- by a pinion 94 in engagement with rack teeth on the slide; the pinion being operated through mechanism not herein shown indetail, but'of the same-character as that disclosed in the-previously mentioned Letters Patent for operating a corresponding pinion 36 therein shown, by a cam member 96- fast on a cam shaft 98 Other-rack teeth formed on the slide 90 arein engagement with a gear sector we formed on one arm of a bell-crank lever 12- mounted on a shaft IN. The other armof this bell-crank lever is pivotally connected' to a rod I66 which extends downwardly through the upper end of a cylindrical casing I03- (F'igll) and has fast on its lower end a dish HG within the casing. Between this disk and a plug l i2 threaded in the upper end of the casing is a compression spring H41 The lower end of the casing is-connected' by a rod H8 to apawl carrier H8 (Fig.2) mountedtoturnabout a shaft I29 journaledin the casting 1-8. Pivotally mountedonthe pawlcarrier 1' l 8' aretwo pawls l-22- arranged toengage a ratchet wheel [-24 fast onthe shaft I2 0. Also fast on the shaft is-apinion [=26 6 engagement withthe teeth of the rack bar -15; It will thus be seen that in response to the -rear-' ward movement of the slide 911 the bell-crank lever I02 acts yield-ingly through the spring Ht and the pawls I21 to apply upwardly directed force to the rack'bar T6 and the shoesupported rod 24 to force the shoe more firmly against the holddownand to hold the shoe against downward movement. Initially the pawls I22 are held out of engagement with the: ratchet wheel I by a pawl-controller 28. projections on which engage members I29; on the sides oi the pawls, the-eontroller being adjustable about the shaft- [20 to determine variably the time in the movement oi the pawl carrier H8 when the pawls are released to permit them to engagethe ratchet wheel.

For wiping the marginal portion of the heck end of the upper inwardly over the feather and against the portion of the lip 0. extending around the heel'end of the insole of a welt shoe of the sewed-seattype, the machine herein shownis provided with a pair of wipers I30 Figs. 4 and-65 pivotally connected together by a stud #32 which is mounted in the front end of a small slide PM, this slide being guided for movements in directionslengthwise of the shoe in a plate $36. This plate is seci-iredto a slide. [38- movable lengthwise of the shoe in a guideway in the head castings and carrying a roll l 40 which lies ina cam track I42 formed in the cammember 96 The plate F36 may thus be regarded as a partof the slide 138 seated in recesses in the small slide I34 and the slide I38 is a spring M4 (Fig. 3) which tends tomove the small slide in a forward direction relatively to the slide I38, such movement of the small slide being limited by engagement of the head of a screw I46 threaded therein with the wall of a slot M8 in. the plate i36 at the-front end of the slot. This construction permits the slide I38 to continue its forward movement after the forward movement of the wipershas been retarded or stopped by the resistance of the mar"- gin of theupper at the extreme end of the shoe.

For swinging or closing the wipers I30 inwardly'widthwise of the shoe about the stud [32 each wiper is connected by a link i513 (Fig. 4-) with a sl-id'e152 adjustably movable along a guideway a laterally extended portion of the plate [$6 Journaled in this portion of the plate is a shaft I54 an enlarged inner end portion F56 of which isthreaded inthe slide I52 and the other end of? which has fast thereon a bevelgear I58; This gear is engaged bya similar gear I60 mounted on a shaft I62 which is journaled in bearings in the-lateral extension of the plate I3B= and has on its outer end a knob I 64- for turning it. By this means the corresponding wiper [30' may be adjusted independently of the other wiper about the-stud I3 2 for shoes of different sizes and to vary its finalinwar'd' pressure on the upper. It will be understood that in operation the wipers are carried first bodily forward into engagement with the margin of the upper at the extremeend of the shoe; and that in response to resistance of this portion of the upper to forward movement of the wipers in the course of the lasting operation, the continuedmovement of the slide 1'38 serves positively, through the. links I50, to swing or close the wipers equal distances inwardly to wipe the marginal portion of the upper against the lip of the insole. along the sides of" the heelend portion of theinsole. It will further'be understood that the spring [44 is strong enough to cause'the'marginof the upper around the extreme end or the shoe; where the lasting operation is more diflicult to perform than along the sides of the end portion, to be forced effectively into the angle between the feather and the lip of the insole. The links I58 extend in convergent directions toward the heel end of the shoe, and since the pivotal connections between them and the wipers have components of inward movement widthwise of the shoe in the wiper-closing operation, the links are correspondingly swung about their pivotal connections with the members I52 with a toggle-like action on the wipers to close them effectively without any undue increase in their pressure on the margin of the upper at the extreme end of the shoe.

It will be evident that in the use of the construction above described the same wipers will operate satisfactorily on shoes of a comparatively wide range of sizes.

To insure that the lasting operation will be effectively performed in the desired manner in locations near the beginning of the shank portions of the shoes, each wiper H39 has in its front end a notch I65 in which is mounted for sliding movements in directions widthwise of the shoe a supplemental wiper IE8. This wiper is provided with an outwardly extending stem H8 slidingly movable in the main wiper i311 and having on its outer end nuts I12 for limiting, by engagement with the main wiper, the inward movement of the supplemental wiper relatively to the main wiper under the influence of a spring H3 (Fig. 4) which bears on a shoulder on the stem H5. The nuts I12 are preferably so adjusted that initially the supplemental wiper extends slightly farther inward than the wiping edge of the corresponding main wiper 13%], as shown in Fig. 4, to insure that the supplemental wiper will fully wipe the portion of the margin of the upper which it engages into the angle between the feather and the lip of the insole, the spring I13 permitting continued movement of the main wiper after the movement of the supplemental wiper has been stopped by the shoe. To render the supplemental wipers ineffective in operating on comparatively small shoes, each of these wipers has therein a notch I14 arranged to receive a spring-controlled latch I15 pivotally mounted on the main wiper l3!) to hold the supplemental wiper retracted in an idle position. For heating the wipers to render them still more effective in shaping the upper in the angle between the feather and the lip of the insole an electrically heated cover plate H6 (Figs. 3, and '7) is secured to the head casting 6 over and in contact with the wipers. This plate is maintained in a heated condition by a heating unit I18 mounted within it.

To position each shoe lengthwise and to support the lip a of the insole against the thrust of the wipers around the extreme end of the insole, the previously mentioned holddown 81 is constructed and arranged to engage the inner face of the lip in this location. It has been found unnecessary thus to support the lip along the sides of the heel end of the insole, and accordingly the holddown is so formed that it is spaced somewhat inwardly from the lip in these locations, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. This permits the same holddown to be used in operating on shoes of a wider range of sizes than would be the case if it were formed to engage the lip along the sides as well as around the extreme end of the heel portion of the insole. The holddown has at its edge a downwardly extending flange 188 (Fig. 13) for engagement with the insole, and the portion of this flange which is next to the lip around the extreme end of the insole extends farther downwardly than other portions thereof, so as to engage the insole in the usual channel adjacent to the lip which results from the forming of the lip.

In order to insure that when the shoe is moved upwardly by depression of the treadle 84 the holddown 81' will not engage the top of the lip of the insole at the extreme end of the insole, the shoe is moved rearwardly by the operator to such a position that when it is raised by the treadle into engagement with the holddown there will be a substantial amount of clearance, which may be as much as half an inch in operating on shoes of the larger sizes, between the holddown and the rear portion of the lip. After the shoe has been moved upwardly by the treadle, it is moved reversely in a forward direction at the beginning of the cycle of operations of the machine until the holddown is firmly engaged by the rear portion of the lip. For thus properly limiting the rearward movement of the shoe and for moving it reversely in a forward direction the machine herein shown is provided with a heel band I82 which not only engages the heelend face of the shoe, but is closed inwardly to clamp the upper against the last near the edge of the insole along the sides of the heel-end portion of the shoe. The heel band is preferably made of stiff leather which is yet flexible enough to conform to the contour of the heel end of the shoe lengthwise of the edge of the shoe bottom, and the intermediate portion thereof is secured to an angular clip tilt (Figs. 3 and 12) supported by a nut I88 on the lower end of a stud I88. This stud extends upwardly through a slide I 96 mount ed for forward and rearward movements in the head casting 6 and through the central portion of a casting l2 mounted on the slide. Surrounding the stud below the slide is a spring I94 which rests in a cup l96 supported on the clip Hi l, the purpose of this spring being hereinafter explained. A forwardly inclined portion 98 (Fig. 12) of the casting 192 is arranged to engage the band I82 near the edge of the insole in a location opposite the extreme rear end of the shoe to press the upper against the last in this location. For similarly pressing the upper inwardly along the opposite sides of the heel-end portion of the shoe the upper portion of the band is engaged by two chains 200 each comprising a series of links pivotally connected together, the rearmost link of each chain being pivotally mounted on a stud 202 threaded in the casting I92. Each of the two chains is controlled by an arm 2B4 pivotally mounted at its rear end on a stud 2G6 threaded in the casting [92, the front end of each arm having pivotally mounted thereon a small lever 288 one arm of which is pivotally connected to the foremost link of the chain and the other arm of which is connected by a spring 2H] to a lug 2l3 on the casting I92, this lug extending over the arm 204 to brace the arm against upward movement. The spring 218 acts through the lever 208 to tighten the chain and tends also to swing the chain and the arm 204 in an outward direction widthwise of the shoe. The portion of the band at each side of the shoe is further secured near its front end to an angular clip 2I4 provided with a slot 2l6 through which a stud 2 l8 extends downwardly from the corresponding arm 204, a head on the stud supporting the clip. By the springs 2 I I! the band 182 is thus held in an open position to receive the heel end of the shoe when the shoe is carried rearwardly by the carriage 8 to the position determined by engagement 9 of its heel-end face with the intermediate portion of the band.

For moving the heel band forwardly to thrust the shoe in a forward direction until the lip on at the rear end of the insole is seated firmly against the holddown 81, the slide i98 has on its lower face rack teeth 220 engaged by teeth formed on a shaft 222 journaled in a bracket 226 secured on the lower face of the head casting 6. Fast on this shaft is an arm 2.26 (Figs. 1 and 9) having therein a plurality of holes 228 arranged to receive in one or another thereof a pin 238 mounted in a longer arm 232 which is loose on the shaft 222. Pivotally mounted on the lower end of the arm 232 is a trunnion block 236 slidingly mounted on a rod 236 between a collar 238 fast on the rod and a spring 248 on the rod, the front end of the spring being engaged by a nut 242 threaded on the rod. The rear end of the rod 236 is pivotally connected to the upper end of an arm 2M pivotally mounted at its lower end onthe column 2, this arm being connected by a link 246 to the lower end of a lever 228 pivotally mounted between its upper and lower ends on a stud 256 on the head casting 6. At its upper end the lever 248 carries a roll 252 engaged by a cam face 254 on the cam member 96. It will thus be seen that by swinging movement of the lever 248 in a counterclockwise direction with reference to Fig. l the heel band I82 and its controld ling mechanism carried by the slide I98 are moved bodily in a forward direction to cause the band to thrust the shoe and the carriage ii forwardly until the portion of the lip a. at the rear end of the insole is firmly engaged by the holddown 81, the spring 240 yielding to permit further movement of the lever 248 after the movement of the shoe has been stopped by the holddown, as illustrated in Fig. 9. The pin 236 has on its outer end a knob 256 by which it may be withdrawn from any one of the holes 228 against the resistance of a spring 251, after which the heel band may be adjusted in a direction lengthwise of the shoe until the pin registers with another one of the holes which it then enters to retain the band in adjusted position.

The machine herein shown is further provided with devices responsive to the above-described forward movement of the heel band and its support for closing it inwardly to clamp the upper against the opposite sides of the heel-end portion of the last. Each of these devices includes a roll 258 arranged to engage a cam face 268 on the corresponding arm 286, the roll being mounted on a stud 262 which is threaded in the inner end of an outwardly extending slide 264 movable in a guideway in a block 266 secured to the head casting 6. Threaded in the slide is an inner end portion of a rod 268 which is mounted to turn in a sleeve 210 supported in a bearing in the casting 6. Fast on the outer end of the rod 268 is a knob 2'52 arranged to engage the casting 6 to limit lengthwise movement of the rod in an inward direction. The sleeve 218 is confined between the lrnob 212 and a flange 274 on the rod 268, and mounted on this sleeve between the casting 6 and a flange 276 on the sleeve is a spring 2%. The rod 268 may be turned in the sleeve 210 by the knob 272 to adjust the slide 26 3 in an inward or an outward direction and I thus to vary the initial position widthwise of the shoe of the arm 204 and the portion of the band at the side of the shoe. When the slide i556 receives its forward movement the portions of the band at the opposite sides of the shoe are forced inwardly by the action of the rolls 258 on the cam faces 260 formed on the arms 204, these arms acting on the front ends of the chains 200 through the levers 288 and also acting on the band through the clips 214. The adjustment of the two slides 264 is preferably such that the portions of the band at the sides of the shoe will thus be forced into upper-clamping positions slightly before the slide completes its forward movement, after which the slides 264 and the rods 268 will be forced outwardly against the resistance of the springs 218 (Figs. 9 and 10) by the action of the cam faces 260 on the rolls 258, the sleeves 210 moving with the rods.

The cam-operated mechanism for forcing the shoe more firmly up against the holddown 81 as hereinbefore described, near the beginning of the cycle of operations, serves later in the cycle to force the shoe more firmly up against the wipers after the wipers have wiped the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over the insole, the holddown at this time being movable upwardly with the shoe. A portion of the holddown extends upwardly into a rectangular recess in a block 280 (Fig. 3), and the holddown also has thereon a stem 282 extending upwardly into a bore in the block. The holddown is held detachably in place on the block by a pin 284 slidingly mounted in the block and controlling the stem 282 in a manner not herein illustrated in detail. Briefly, the pin normally lies in an arcuate recess in one side of the stem to lock the holddown in place, but upon rearward movement of the pin against the resistance of a spring 286 an arcuate recess in the. pin is carried into position to register with the stem 282 and thus to release the stem and the holddown. The block 288 is adjustable in directions lengthwise of the shoe along a guideway formed in a rearwardly extending lower end portion of a vertical rack bar 288 and is held in adjusted position by a clamping screw 298 threaded in the block and extending through a slot in this portion of the rack bar. The adjustment of the block is effected by turning a screw 292 which is threaded in the block and the head of which lies in a slot in the lower end of the rack bar. The rack bar 288 .is vertically movable in a guideway in the head casting 6 and is in engagement with gear teeth 294 formed on a horizontal shaft 296 rotatable in the head casting. By gearing hereinafter described this shaft is connected to a slide 298 mounted for forward and rearward movements in the head casting. Extending rearwardly from this slide is a rod 380 provided at its front end with a pin 302 which extends through slots 30.4 in opposite sides of the slide, the front end of the rod being slidingly mounted in a recess in the slide between the slots. At its rear end this rod is connected to means not herein shown, but

of the same construction as disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent, whereby it is held against rearward movement when the shoe is moved upwardly against the holddown by the treadle 84, when it is thereafter forced more firmly against the holddown by the power-operated means and when it is later forced up to increase the pressure of the wipers on the upper. Surrounding the rod 388 is a spring 386 confined under compression between the rear end of the slide 298 and a nut (not shown) on the rod. A comparatively light spring 308 engaging the front end of the slide 288 tends to move the slide rearwardly and holds it and the rod 388 initially in the positions determined by the above-menwiped portion of the upper the spring 305 yields to permit the holddown to be forced upwardly by the shoe, the operation in this respect being the same as in the machine disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent.

The above-mentioned gearing connecting the shaft 295 to the slide 298 includes gear teeth 31 (Fig. 4) on the shaft which are in angular relation to the axis of the shaft and are in engagement with complementally arranged gear teeth 3 H on the slide 298. Threaded in the head casting 6 is a sleeve 3l2 rotatable on a diametrically reduced end portion of the shaft 2&5 between the gear teeth 350 and a collar 3H1 fast on the end of the shaft, this sleeve having thereon a knurled head 3&6 for turning it. When the sleeve is thus turned it serves to move the shaft 296 lengthwise, and as a result of this movement the teeth 3| l on the slide 298 act on the teeth 3H] to turn the shaft and thereby to adjust the holddown 81 vertically. This means for adjusting the holddown is of the same construction as disclosed in Fig. of Letters Patent No. 1,583,044, granted on May 4, 1926, on an application of C. H. Hoyt.

The previously mentioned spring H34 (Figs. 3

and 12), which is mounted in the cup #96 supported by the clip I64 connected to the heel band, is in engagement at its upper end with the lower face of the slide I90. Between the upper end of the cup and the lower face of the slide is a space such as to permit limited upward movement of the heel band. The spring H54, however, is of such strength that no such upward movement of the band will take place until that time in the cycle of operations when the shoe is forced more firmly up against the wipers, at which time the holddown is yieldingly movable upwardly as above described. At this time the spring [94 yields to permit the band to move upwardly with the shoe, thus avoiding any frictional action of the band on the upper in a direction away from the edge of the insole.

The manner of operation of the machine will now be briefly summarized. When the shoe comes to the machine it will already have been lasted at least along the sides of the shank portion, the upper of the shoe herein shown having been secured to the lip of the insole in these locations by staples s. The operator mounts the shoe on the last pin and the toe rest and moves it by hand with the carriage 8 rearwardly to a position determined by engagement of its heelend face with the heel band 182. The heel band will have been so adjusted by relative movement of the arms 226 and 232 (Fig. 1) that when the shoe is in this position the portion of the lip a of the insole at the extreme rear end of the insole is located a substantial distance farther rearwardly than the holddown 81. The holddown itself, moreover, may have been adjusted as described to vary more precisely its relation to that portion of the lip. By depressing the treadle 84 the operator thereafter raises the shoe support to move the shoe upwardly until the heel end of the insole engages the holddown, as

shown in Fig. 3. While holding the treadle depressed the operator starts the machine by rearward movement of the starting member 88. Immediately after the starting of the machine the slide is moved forwardly to move the heel band and its supporting and controlling mechanism in that direction, the heel band forcing the shoe and the carriage 8 forwardly until the rear portion of the lip of the insole is seated firmly against the holddown, after which the spring 240 of the heel-band-operating mechanism yields. As the heel band is thus moved forwardly the rolls 258 act on the arms 204 to swing these arms and the chains 2B3 inwardly and thereby to close the heel band at the sides of the heel-end portion of the shoe into position to clamp the upper near the edge of the insole against the last, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Thereafter the pawl-and-ratchet mechanism shown in Fig. 2 assumes control of the shoe support rod 24, forcing the shoe more firmly up against the holddown and locking the rod against downward movement.

The wipers are next operated by the forward movement of the slide iSB. The wipers are first advanced bodily to force them against the portion of the margin of the upper at the extreme rear end of the shoe, and in response to the resistance of this portion of the upper to the forward movement of the wipers they are swung or closed inwardly widthwise of the shoe to wipe the upper inwardly against the lip of the insole also along the sides of the heel-end portion of the shoe. In this operation the supplemental wipers itfs, unless they are held by the latches H5 in their idle positions relatively to the main wipers Kiel, act on the portions of the margin of the upper adjacent to the shank portion of the shoe and may overlap to some extent portions already lasted in the shank (Fig. 8). After the wipers have completed their inward movements the pawl-and-ratchet mechanism shown in Fig. 2 is further operated to force the shoe more firmly up against the wipers, the holddown 8*! moving upwardly against the resistance of the spring 308 to permit such increased pressure to be applied by the wipers to the upper. At this time the heel band :82 moves upwardly with the shoe by reason of the frictional action of the shoe thereon, the spring W4 yielding to permit such upward movement thereof. The pressure and heat applied by the wipers to the marginal portion of the upper serves to shape it effectively in conformity to the angle between the feather and the lip of the insole. After the wipers have thus acted on the upper the parts of the machine are returned to their starting positions, the upward pressure of the shoe on the wipers being relieved before they are retracted from the shoe. After the release of the shoe the operator moves the carriage 8 forwardly to its initial position and removes the shoe therefrom, the heel-end portion of the shoe being in the lasted condition illustrated in Fig. 14.

Having described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a lasting machine, a support for a shoe having an insole provided with a welt-attaching lip extending around its heel end, a holddown arranged to engage the inner face of said lip at the heel end of the insole and thereby to position the shoe lengthwise while supporting the lip against inwardly directed pressure of the margin of the upper against it in the lasting oporation, wipers for wipingthe marginal portion of the heel end of the upper inwardly against said lip, said wipers being mountedfor closing movements widthwise of the shoe about a common axis, a member mounted :for movement lengthwise of the shoe to move said wipers bodily in that direction thus to act on the upper at the extreme end of the shoe, the. limit of. such bodily movement of the wipers being determined by their engagement with the margin of the upper, and connections between said memberand the wipers responsive to the resistance of the margin of the upper to such bodily movement of the wipers for closing them widthwise of the shoe to wipe the upper against said lip along the sides of the heel-end portion oithe'shoe, said connections comprising links extending from said member to the wipers in convergent directions toward the heel end of the shoe.

2. .In a lasting machine, .a support for a shoe having an insole provided with a welt-attaching lip extending around its heel end,.a holddown arranged to engage the inner face or said lip at the heel end or the insole and thereby to position the shoe lengthwise while supporting the lip against inwardly directed pressure of thematgin of the upper against it in the lasting operation, wipers .for wiping the marginal portion of the heel end of the upper inwardly against said lip, said wipers being mounted for closing movements widthwise of the shoe about a common axis, a cam-operated slide movable a fixed distance lengthwise of the shoe, 2, spring arranged to transmit movement from said slide to portions of said wipers at the extreme end of the shoe to move them bodily lengthwise of the shoe thus to act on the upper in that location, said spring being yieldable in response to resistance of the margin of the upper to such bodily movement of the wipers to permit further movement of said slide, and connections between said slide and the wipers for closing them widthwise of the shoe by such further movement of the slide to wipe the upper against said lip along the sides of the heebend portion of the shoe, said connections comprising links extending in convergent directions toward the heel and of the shoe.

3. In a lasting machine, a support for a shoe having an insole provided with a welt-attaching lip extending around its end, a holddownarranged to engage the inner race :of said lip at the heel end of the insole and to position the shoe lengthwise while supporting the lip against inwardly directed pressure of the mar gin of the upper against it the lasting operation, wipers for wiping the marginal portion of the heel end of the upper inwardly against said lip, a member mounted for movement "lengthwise of the shoe and to which said wipers are pivotally connected in a location opposite the extreme end of the shoe to swing about a common axis, a power-operated member also mountedfor movement lengthwise of the shoe, a :springfor: transmitting movement from said power-operated member to said first-named member Ior moving the portions of the wipers at the extreme end of the shoe bodilylengthwise f the shoe to act on the upper in that location, said spring being yieldable in response to resistance of the margin of the upper to such bodily movement-"of the wipers to permit further movement of said power-operated member, links connecting said power-operated member to the wipersand extending in convergent directions toward the heel end of the shoe for closing them equal distances widthwise of the shoe by such further movement of the power-operated member. to wipe the upper against said lip along the sides of the heel-end portion of the shoe, and devices carried by said power-operated member for adjusting said links each independently of the other to vary the initial positions of the wipers with respect to closing movements.

4. In a lasting machine, a support for a shoe having an insole provided with a welt-attaching lip extending around its heel end, a holddown arranged to engage the inner face of said lip at the heel end of the insole and thereby to position the shoe lengthwise while supporting the lip against inwardly directed pressure of the margin of the upper against it .in the lasting operation, wipers for wiping the marginal portion of the heel end of the upper inwardly against said lip, a member mounted for movement lengthwise of the shoe to move said wipers bodily in thatdirection thus to act on the upper at the extreme end of the shoe, means operated by said memher for closing the wipers widthwise of the shoe to wipe the upper against said lip along the sides of the heel-end portion of the shoe in response to resistance of the margin of the upper to such bodily movement of the wipers lengthwise of the shoe, supplemental wipers carried by said first-named wipers for engaging portions of the heel end of the upper located farthest from the extreme end of the shoe, springs carried by the first-named wipers for controlling said supplemental wipers, said springs being yieldaible in response to resistance of the upper to the inward movements of the supplemental wipers, and

latches carried by the first-named wipers for ontionally holding the supplemental wipers int-retracted idle positions relatively to the first-named wipers against the force of said springs.

5. In a lasting machine, a support for a shoe having an insole provided with a welt-attaching lip extending around its heel end, :a holddown arranged to engage the inner face of said lip at the heel end of the insole and thereby to position the shoe lengthwise while supporting the lip against inwardly directed pressure of the margin of the upper against it in the lasting operation, wipers for wiping the marginal portion or the heel end or the upper inwardly against said lip,

a member mounted for movement lengthwise of the shoe to move said wipers bodily in that direction thus to act on the upper at extreme end of the shoe, means operated by said member for closing the wipers widthwise of the shoe to wipe the upper against said lip along the sides of the heel-end portion of the shoe in response to resistance of the margin of the upper to such bodily movement of the wipers lengthwise of the shoe, supplemental wipers carried by said firstnamed wipers for yieldingly engaging and wiping inwardly portions of the heel end of the upper located farthest from the extreme end of the shoe, and devices for optionally holding said supplemental wipers in retracted idle positions relatively to the first-named wipers.

6. In a lasting machine, means for wiping the marginal portion of an upper around the heel endof a last inwardly over .an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, a 'holddown anranged to engage the inner face of said lip at the heel end of the insole and thereby to position the shoe lengthwise while supporting the lip againstinwardly directed pressure of the margin of'the. upper against ,it in the lasting operation, a heel band constructed and arranged to embrace the heel end of the shoe, a support for said heel band, means for moving said support and the heel band bodily in a direction lengthwise of the shoe and for thereby moving the shoe in that direction to a position determined by engagement of the holddown with the lip of the insole, and means responsive to such movement of the heel-band support for closing the band inwardly widthwise of the shoe to clamp the upper against the last along the sides of the heel end of the shoe before the upper is acted upon by said wiping means.

7. In a lasting machine, means for wiping the marginal portion of an upper around the heel end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, a holddown arranged to engage the inner face of said lip at the heel end of the insole and thereby to position 'the shoe lengthwise while supporting the lip against inwardly directed pressure of the margin of the upper against it in the lasting operation, a heel band constructed and arranged to embrace "the heel end of the shoe, a support for said heel band, means for moving said support and the heel band bodily in a direction lengthwise of the shoe and for thereby moving the shoe in that direction to a position determined by engagement of the holddown with the lip of the insole, a pair of chains carried by said heel-band support and comprising pivotally connected links arranged to act on the heel band to clamp the upper against the last in locations adjacent to the edge of the insole, a pair of arms also carried by said support and mounted for swinging movements widthwise of the shoe to force the chains inwardly toward the shoe, and means for thus swinging said arms in response to the shoe-posi tioning movement of the heel-band support lengthwise of the shoe.

8. In a lasting machine, means for wiping the marginal portion of an upper around the heel end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, a holddown arranged'to engage the inner face of said lip at the heel end of the insole and thereby to position the shoe lengthwise while supporting the lip against inwardly directed pressure of the margin of the upper against it in the lasting operation, a heel band constructed and arranged to embrace the heel end of the shoe, a support for said heel band, means for moving said support and the heel band bodily in a direction lengthwise of the shoe and for thereby moving the shoe in that direction to a position determined by engagement of the holddown with the lip of the insole, a pair of chains carried by said heel-band support and comprising pivotally connected links arranged to act on the heel band to clamp the upper against the last in locations adjacent to the edge of the insole, a pair of arms also car- 'ried by said support and mounted for swinging movements widthwise of the shoe to force the chains inwardly toward the shoe, members arranged to engage said arms and thus to swing them inwardly toward the shoe in response to the movement of the heel-band support lengthwise of the shoe, and springs arranged to control said members and yieldable in response to resistance of the shoe to further swinging movements of the arms after the heel band has clamped the upper against the last.

9. In a lasting machine, means for wiping the marginal portion of an upper around the heel end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, a holddown arranged to engage the inner face or said lip at the 75 2,490,897

'16 heel end of the insole and thereby to position the shoe lengthwise while supporting the lip against inwardly directed pressure of the margin of the upper against it in the lasting operation, a heel band constructed and arranged to embrace the heel end of the shoe, a support for said heel band, means for moving said support and the heel band bodily in a direction lengthwise of the shoe and for thereby moving the shoe in that direction to a position determined by engagement of the holddown with the lip of the insole, a pair of chains carried by said heel-band support and comprising pivotally connected links arranged to act on the heel band to clamp the upper against the last in locations adjacent to the edge of the insole, a pair of arms also carried by said support and mounted for swinging movements widthwise of the shoe to force the chains inwardly toward the shoe, said arms having cam faces thereon, rolls arranged to engage said cam faces to swing the arms inwardly toward the shoe in response to the movement of the heel ,band support lengthwise of the shoe, members supporting said rolls and mounted for movements in outward directions widthwise of the shoe in response to resistance of the shoe to further swinging movements of the arms after the heel band has clamped the upper against the last, and springs against the resistance or which said members are thus movable.

10. In a lasting machine, means for wiping the marginal portion of an upper around the heel end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, a holddown arranged to engage the inner face or said lip at the heel end of the insole and thereby to position the shoe lengthwise while supporting the lip against inwardly directed pressure of the margin of the upper against it in the lasting operation, a heel band constructed and arranged to embrace the heel end of the shoe, a support for said heel band, means for moving said support and the heel band bodily in a direction lengthwise of the shoe and for thereby moving the shoe in that direction to a position determined by engagement of the holddown with the lip of the insole, a pair of chains carried by said heel-band support and comprising pivotally connected links arranged to act on the heel band to clamp the upper against the last in locations adjacent to the edge of the insole, a pair of arms also carried by said support and mounted for swinging movements widthwise of the shoe, levers pivotally mounted between their opposite ends on the front ends or said arms and arranged to extend widthwise or the shoe, the inner ends of said levers being connected to said chains, springs connected to the outer ends of said levers for tightening the chains and for also swinging the arms and the chains in outward directions widthwise of the shoe, and means for swinging said arms inwardly toward the shoe in response to the movement of the heel-band support lengthwise of the shoe and for thereby forcing the chains inwardly to cause the heel band to clamp the upper against the last.

ERNEST L. BUTLER. OTIS M. HOLMES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 14,576 Brock Dec. 24, 1918 575,029 Ferguson et al Jan. 12, 1897 Butler et al Dec. 13, 1949 

